Gen Z Progressive Admits She Was Too Tired to Attend Important Campaign Event

Candidate’s Absence Due to Narcolepsy

Kat Abu-Ghazaleh, a Democratic House candidate, attributed her absence from a candidate forum on Tuesday night to narcolepsy, as detailed in a statement she shared on Instagram.

The 26-year-old former progressive influencer, who previously worked for Media Matters for America, explained, “I ended up falling asleep despite alarms, phone calls, and multiple knocks on my door from my campaign manager.” She’s currently running in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 9th District.

In her statement directed at forum participants, she acknowledged, “Earlier this evening, I was scheduled to attend a forum with members, and I didn’t show up.” She went on to express a desire to clarify her situation and apologize sincerely. “I have a chronic condition called narcolepsy, which causes me to be extremely fatigued and occasionally have ‘sleep attacks,’ where my brain literally cannot stay awake,” she elaborated.

The forum was organized by a chapter of Indivisible, a left-leaning activist group. Abu-Ghazaleh has openly discussed her narcolepsy before, mentioning in a 2024 post that existing premiums for healthcare were “insane” given her condition.

In October 2025, a federal grand jury indicted her for allegedly obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during an operation the previous month. A video that circulated online showed her attempting to block an ICE officer’s vehicle.

As the race heats up to fill the seat of incumbent Congressman Jan Schakowsky, who is not seeking re-election, Abu-Ghazaleh is emphasizing “anti-authoritarianism” as a central theme of her campaign. She stated, “We will take on ICE, whether it’s on the floor of the House of Representatives or on the streets where they attack us.”